Machine for producing gears



Oct. 9, 1928,. 1,6865523 E. c:. HEAD I MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Filed June 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR E 22652 Head I ATTORNEYf Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,523

E. 0. HEAD MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Filed June 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 73 Fig.2

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E. C. HEAD MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Filed June 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 7a Q 16 o 84 INVENTOR I E zzsZCHead Patented @ct. d, 1923. i r p r ears-at ,F CY

nnnnsr 0. HEAD, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, nssrenon To ennnson wonxs, on

noonns'rnn, new loan, A eonronnrron or YORK.

. hairs MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS.

Application filed June 3, 1926 Serial No. 113,532.

The present invention relates to. machines change gears are incorporated in the contin-ur for producing gears'and in particular to maously moving train of gears which impartsto chines for generating tapered gears. Spethe blank its continuous rotation. 'With'gencifically the present invention relates to gear crating machines previouslyconstructed, generating machines employing an indexing these gears were placed in the normally idle mechanism of the universal type. train of gears employed to periodically im- The present invention has for one object part to the blank its indexing'movement- 55 an improvement in the construction of gear The new construction and arrangement of generating machines of the type described gearing hasbeen foundto have many marked whereby the tooth profiles may be generated. advantages. One advantage is that by plac- With greater accuracy. ing the index change gears in, the contin- A further object of the invention is an muously running train an additional reduCtiOI 60 proved arrangement in the gearing of gear is provided so that all the gears interposed generating machines of the type described between this setoi' change gears and'the main whereby more accurate indexingp that is driveshaftcan be speeded up, With the conspacing from tooth to tooth may be achieved. sequence that the influence of any errors in The present invention, as already stated, these gears upon the blank rotation is very 65 relates particularly to machines of the uniconsiderably reduced and to all practicalpur versal indexing type. In machines of this poses-eliminated. This feature of the present character, the blank isrotated on its axis by invention has the effect of not only reducing some form of gearing, usually a worm and the possibility of errors in spacing but, of

Worm Wheel. During the cutting operation improving the accuracy of tooth profile gen- 70 the rotation of the blank is in a predetereration. A further advantage of the present mined relation tothe movementoi the cradle invention is the entire elimination of any or carrier upon \viich either the tool or blank possible error in spacing due to backlash in mounted, so that the desired relative rollthe index change gears- These gears will now or generating movement is achieved. run continuously Whereas heretofore they 7 Periodically, however, the tool and blank are were started and stopped intermittently. The Withdrawn relatively to eachotherand .in present invention has a still further advanthis period the blank is indexed usuallyby tage particularly applicable to; the cutting imparting to the blank an added rotation-of of bevel gears in that the same set of ratio an algebraic nature whereby the blank splnchange gears, namely, the gears governing die rotation is accelerated or retarded lelathe ratio of blank rotation to cradle move tive to the movement of thecradle or carrier. mentduring cutting, maybe employed in 35 In a machine'ot the character described, a set cutting both members or" a pair.- Heretofore of change gears must lee-provided for governit has been necessary to change not only the ing the number of teeth to be produced on the index change gears When cutting the dififerblank. The universal indexing mechanism ent members of a bevel gear pair, but also to derives its name from the fact that gears ha recalculateand change the ratio gears as 40 ing any desired number of teeth may be out well.. This last advantage is, of course, a on. any machine employing thistype mechafeature ofany generating process in which nismsimply by changing one or more memthe two members of a pair are out each by a bers of this set of index change gears in conrolling movement on the same basic member. 1 tradistinction to a notched plate indexing In machines of the character described usu- 45 mechanism in which a diflerent notched plate ally a difiiercntial is employed nthe blank must be 'em )loyed for each different number drive. One element of the dlfieren lfll 1 of tee h to scout. In machines constructed locked during cuttingv being released then Moore the zcnticn, the tool and blank. are cut at shaft'71 (Figure 2) The shaft 71 is opera;

tively onnecte w h. aligned haft 72 by a differential 74, the function of which will be described more particularly hereinafter. Suffice it is to say here that during the; cutting operation, the housing 114, of; this differential is locked againstrotation and the gears 73, of the differential servev merely to; transmit rotation from the shaft 'Z 1 to the shaft 72. The

' shaft 72 drives the vertical shaft '2' 5 through the bevel gearing 7 6 and the shaft; 7 5 in turn drivesthe diagonal shaft 77 through the bevel gearing 7 8, The diagonal shaft 77 is connected bythe bevel gearing 79 with the horizontal shaft 80 which isjournaled on the work-head. He ore the i d x hang g ar hav een placed in the idle train of gearing employed to intermittently impart to the blank spindle its; indexing rotation and the blank spindle drive comprised simply those gears necessary to convey to it motion from the source of power and those gears required to maintain the proper ratio duringcutting of the blank rotation and cradle movement. In a machine constructed according to my invention, howdrive by the index change 'ing the tooth profiles more ever, the set of index porated in the continuously running blank 8 and preferably at a point in the train nearest the blank spindle wheregears may act as one of the final reductions permitting speeding up of all the gears in thetrain preceding them e f c of any rs n drive shaft 85 is thus driven from the shaft 8(lby the set of index change gears 82, the connccting shaft 83 and the-bevel gears 84. The

worm shaft 85 carries the worm 86 which meshes, with and i which is keyed to the blank spindle 16. V

The incorporation of the index change gears in the continuously running train as a final reduction resnltsinot only in more accurate indexing, or tooth spacing, but in generat accurately also. The teeth of gears out on a machine CQI Structed according to this invention will have,

therefore, not onlymore accurately spaced teeth but more correctly generated profiles. The generation'of thetooth profiles is, as previously stated, a, result of the. combined blank rotation and cradle movement. The cradle is operated from theshaft 60. through the bevel gear 63 (Figures '1 and i) which is secured change gears is incorblank drives the worm wheel 87 upon the blank,

meshes with a bevel gear 0 whi h i k y o the meshes with a w m. whee s gment wh h to e cradle v I I The blank and o are hdraw elativelyto each other after each cutting opera-j tion has been completed, to permit ofindening the blank so to present a new tooth portion thereof to thetool on-reengagement of tool and blank' The means for effecting the relative withdrawal may be of any-suitable character, I The preferred construction is that described in the patent to Gleason et.

al. above cited andis illustrated diagrarn+ matically in Figure 4c. This preferred em bodiment comprises a rotatable cam member 95 which is mounted upon a shaft 94 which is journaled in the frame of the machine and which is driven from the shaft 48 by the changegears 96, the shaft 97, the worm 98, v

and the worm wheel 99. The cam 95vengages blank bead carrier. The cam 95 rotates always in the same direction and is of such form that periodically the blank is with.

described is abcvel'pinion' 50 which meshes with a bevel gear keyed to a shaft 101 which drives the shaft 102 through the bevel gearing 103. .The shaft 102"carries at its: outer end a spur gear 104 which rotates the Spur gear 105 through the spur gear 106. This spur gear- 105 is jonrnalcd on the shaft 71 and has secured to it a ratchet wheel llO (Figures Z-and 'Z). The-ratchet wheel is adapted tobe engaged by a pawl 111 which is pivotally mounted at 112 on'a stop plate 113 which is secured to the housing 11% of the differential 73. The stop plate 113 is pro- Vvided with a peripheral groove 115 and the v r pawl 111 is mounted between the two faces of the stop plate formed by this groove. Normally, that is, during the cutting operation the pawl is heldretracted and out of engagement, with the ratchet wheel. When the tool and blank have been withdrawn relatively to each other, however, the pawl is permitted to engage the ratchet'wheel whereby the rotation of the gear 105, to which the ratchet wheel is secured, is transmitted to the differential housing 114, thereby imparting an added rotational movement to the blank, thus indexingthe blank. I l

A coiled spring 1161 which is secured at one end. to thepawl llland at its other end tea with a roller (not shown) mounted on the lot) ' pin 117 extending V I the stud 121 and v the stop plate.

i of the machine.

- a projection 123 on simultaneously.

stop levers together,

between the twofaces of the stop plate (Figure 8) serves to urge the pawl constantly into engagement with the ratchet wheel. The pawl is held retracted,

that is, out of engagement with the ratchet wheel during the cutting operation'by means ofa dog or detent- 118 which engages aprojection 119 on the tail of: the pawl (F gure 9) The dog 118 is connected to or forms an integral part or a stop lever 120 which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 121 which 15 mounted in a bracket 122 secured to the base This stop lever 120engages one face'124 of the stop platel113, during the cutting operation, to preveiit movement of the stop plate and the dilierential housing in one direction. Movement of the stop plate and differential housing in the opposite direction during the cutting operation prevented by a second stop lever 125which is also pivotally mounted on which engages'alug or projection .126 formed on the other portion 127 01": The projections 123 and 127, as shown, are iiormed by beveling ofi' portions of the stop plate but may be of able construction. i In order to index, the stop levers 120 and 125 must be withdrawn from engagement with the dilierential housingand the pawl 111 v must be released so that it will engage the ratchet wheel 110. The dog or detent 118, as previously stated, is preferably carried by the stop lever 120 so that when the stop lever 120 is retracted to release the stop plate, the detent 118 will simultaneously release the pawl. Preferably some means is provided also for connecting the two stop levers 120 and 125 together so that they will be retracted from engagement with the stop plate and moved into engaging position In the'embodiment of the invention shown, the means for retracting the comprises a' lug 129 which is secured to the stop lever 120 and which engages a projection 130 on the stop lever 125 whereby when one or the other stop lever is withdrawn from looking position the other is withdrawn also. A spring pressed plunger 131 housed in the bracket 122 and pressing against boththe'stop levers 120 and 125 serves to urge these levers constantly into locking position.

The withdrawal of the stop levers is etver 120 and carries a roller 139.011 its other end proj ecwhich'is adapted to be engaged by a tion 143 carried by a rotary plate 144. The plate 144 may be secured to the cam 95 or any other suit-' secured to or ratchet wheel 110. By

be understood that it This bell production of straight tooth gears. The im-' mounted as a separate part upon the cam shaft 94. The plate 144 always rotates in the same direction so that periodically the projection 143 engages the roller 139 and rocks the-bell crank lever 135 about its pivot'140, thereby disengaging the stop lever 120 from engagement with the stop plate 114 and at the same time releasing the pawl 111 and disengaging the stop lever 125. Assoon as the stop levers 120 and 125 have been withdrawn from locking position, and the pawl 111 has engaged the ratchet wheel 110 the motion of the ratchet Wheel, which is continuously running is transmitted to the differential housing vers 120 and 125 riding on the periphery of the parts 124 and 127 of the. stop plate after ret-raction and returningto locking position under. impulse of the spring plunger 131 atterthe stop plate has made one complete rotation. The return of the stoplever 120 to locking position causes the dog 118 to reengage the projection 119 on the pawl 111 and retract the pawl 'fromengagement with the the means described, the differential housing is a'lwayslocked up in the same p osition after each indexing operation and anyerror whichmight occur in the gears of the differential or the gears actuating the same is thus transmitted equally to each'tooth with the consequence that such errors in no wise afiectthe indexing or tooth spacing. referably the'members of the gear train which are interposed between the dilferential and the index change gears 82 are all'miter struction described will go through the same cycle in each indexing operation and consequently any errors inthese gears will not atfeet indexing. Thesefeaturescombined-with. a

the acceleratio'n'of the drive attained byemploying the index change gears as a finalrepossible a highly improved duction makes product. I I

While the present invention has been described particularly withreference 'toa machine for producing curved tooth gears it will is. applicable also to the provement constituting this inventionmay be I used on machines for producing hypoid gears as well as bevel gears and on'm'achin'es for producing other types of gears also. Itmay be used in any operation upon such gears whether cutting, grinding, lapping or bar looking one element of said differential against rotation during cutting,.means for periodically withdraw-ingsaid locking means from looking position and means for imparting to said element of the differential a ro. tary movement when released whereby an added algebraic movement is imparted to the blank spindle and the blank indexed.

' 7. In a machine for generating gears, a blank support and a tool'support a movable carrier upon which one of said supports is mounted, means said carrler,

for imparting movement-to a blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, a drive shaft, a train of gearing operatively and continuously connecting said drive shaft and blank spindle and including a set of change gears governing the number of teeth to be cut in the blank,a diflerential incorporated in said train and operatively interposed between said drive shaft and said set'of change gears, means for locking one element of said dle periodically to index the blank and the.

differential element is always looked up in the same place. 7 V I I 8. In a machine for generating gears, a blank support and a tool support, a movable cradle upon which one of vsaid supports is mounted, a -drive' said drive shaft and cradle, a blankspindle rotatably mountedon the blank support, a train of gearing operatively and directly connecting said, drive shaft and blank spindle and'including a set I the number of teeth to be cut in, the blank, reversible means for rotating said drive shaft,

a differential incorporated in said train and operativelyinterposed between said drive I shaft andsaid setof change gears, means for locking one element of said differential against rotation during cutting, means for Withdrawing said locking means from locking position and means for impart-c periodically ing to said element of the differential a rotary movement when released whereby an added algebraic rotation is imparted to the blank spindle and the blank indexed. a

'9. In a machine for generating gears, a blank support and a tool support, a cradle upon which one of said-supports is mounted,

a drive shaft,cgearing connecting said drive shaft and cradle, a blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, a train of gearing operatively and directly connecting said drive shaft and blankspindle and includgoverning the numing a set of change gears ber'of teeth to be cut in the -blank..reversible means for rotating said drive shaft, a differ-- shaft, gearing connecting of change gears governing,

ential incorporated. in said train and operatively interposed between said drive shaft and said set of change gears, means for locking one element of said differential against rotation during cutting, means for periodically disengaging said locking means and means,

forimparting to said differential element when released an integral number of revolutionsf I v,

10. In a machinev for generating gears, a blank support, upon which one of said supports is mounted, a drive shaft, gearing connecting said drive and a tool support, acradle shaft and cradle, a blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, a train of gearing operatively and directly connecting said drive shaft and blank spindle and including a set of change gears-governing the number of teeth to be cut in the blank, re-

versible means for rotating said drive shaft, av

differential incorporated insaid train and operatively interposed between said drive shaft and said set of change gears, means for lock-' ing one element of said differential against rotation during cutting, a'continuousl-y rotating member, means 7 for periodically releasing said locking means and simultaneously connecting said continuously driven member with said differential element, whereby the blank is periodically indexed and the differential element always looked up in the same place.

11. In a machine for generating gears, a

blank support and a tool support, a cradle upon which one of said supports is mounted, a

drive shaft, gearing connecting saidvdrive shaft and cradle, a blank spindle rotatably I mounted on a blank support, a train of gearing operatively and directly connecting said drive shaft and blank spindle and including a, set of change gears-governing the number of teeth to be out in the blank, a reversible means 1 for rotating said drive shaft, a differential" incorporated in said train and interposed be,

tween said drive shaft and said set of change gears, means for, locking one element of said differential againstrotation during cutting,

a continuously rotating member, "means for periodically releasing said lockingmeans and simultaneously connecting said continuously driven member with saiddiiierential element, and means vcontrolling the releasing meansso I that the differential element alwaysmakes an lntegral number of revolutions during the perlod of its connectionwith the continuously rotating member;

12. Ina machine for-producing gears, a blank supportand a tool, support, a cradle upon which one of said supports is mounted, a blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, aset of change gears governs ing the number of teeth .to be cut in the blank operatively connected with the blankspin'dle, a drive shaft, reversible means for rotating said drive shaft, adi iferential operativelyv connected with said drive shaft and said set of change gears, means for locking one element of said differential against rotation dur, ing cutting, a gear, means continuously rotatlngsaid gear, a ratchet and pawl mechanism, one member of whiehis connected to said gear and theother member of which is connected to the normally locked element of the differential, means constantly urging said pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel, means withholding said pawl from engagement with said ratchet wheel during cutting, means for releasing said diii'erential element after each cutting operation, and means for simultaneously releasing said pawl to permit connection of the continuously rotating gear with said differential element whereby the blank may be periodically indexed.

13. In a machine for producing gears, a blank support and a tool support, a cradle upon which one of said support-s is mounted,

a blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, a set of change gears governing the number of teeth to be cut in the blank operatively connected with the blank spindle, a drive shaft, reversible means for rotating said drive shaft, a differential operatively connected with said set of change gears, means for locking one element of said differential against rotation during cutting, a gear, means for continuously rotating said gear, a ratchet and pawl mechanism, one

member of which is connected to said gear and the other member of whlch s connected to a normally locked elementof the difleren tial, means constantly urging said pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel, means withholding said pawl from engagement with said ratchet wheel during cutting, means for releasing said differential element after each cutting operation, and means connected thereto for simultaneously releasing said pawl to permit connection of the continuously running gear with said differential element, and means controlling said releasing means so that the differential locking means is held out of engagement with said diflerential element during a predetermined integral number of rotations of said differential element; v

14. In afimachine for generating-gears, a blank support and a tool support, a cradle upon which one of said supports is mounted, a blank spindle journaled in blank support, a train of gearing connecting said cradle and 7 blank spindle and including a set of difl erential gears, a set of change gears governing the number of teeth to be cut, in the blank incorporated in said train andinterposed between said ditterential and theblank spindle, a set of change gears for maintaining the proper ratio or" cradle and blank movements during cutting incorporated in said train and interposed between said difierential and said I spindle during cutting and cradle, reversible means for rotating said gear train, means for locking one element of said difierential against rotation during cutting, means for periodically withdrawing said locking means from locking position and means for imparting to said element of the differential a'rotary movement when released j blank spindle and including aset of differ ential gears, a set of change gearsgoverning the number of teeth to be cut in the blank incorporated in said train and interposed between said differential and theblank spindle, a set of change gears for maintaining the proper ratio of cradle and blank movements during cutting incorporated in said train and interposed between said differential and said cradle, reversible means for rotating said gear train, means for locking one elementof said difl'erential against rotation during cutting, means for periodically withdrawing said locking means from locking position and means for imparting. to said element of the differential when released an integral number of revolutions.

'16. In a machine for generating gears, a blank support, a tool support, a blank spindle rotatablymounted on said blank support, a

movable carrier upon which one of said suprotating said blank spindle including a set of ports is mounted, a train of gearing for change gears governing the number of teeth to be out on the blank, means for imparting movement to said carrier in predetermined relation to'the blank rotation, means for rotating said train of gearing to rotate the blank means for period ically imparting tosaid set of change gears an added algebraic rotation to index the blank. 7 l

- 17. In a machine for generating gears, a blank support, a tool support, a cradle 11 on which one of said supports is mounte'c, a

drive shaftpgearing connecting said drive shaft and cradle, a. blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, a train of gearing operatively and directly connecting said drive shaft and blank spindle and including a set oi change gears governing the number Of teeth to be cut in the blank, reversiblemeans continuously operative for rotating periodically said drive shaft, and means for imparting to thetrain of gearing an' added algebraic rotation to index theblank.

'18. Ina machine for generating blank support, a tool support, a blank spindle rotatably mounted on the blank support, a drive shaft,means for continuously rotating gears, a

said drive shaft, a train of gearing operatively and directlyconnecting said drive shaft and blank spindle and including a set ofchange gears governing the numberof teetlito be cut in the blank,-reversible means for rotating said drive shaft, a movable carrier upon which one of said supports is mounted, means for imparting movement to said carrier in V predoterminml relation to the blank rotation,

a movable member operatively connected with 10 said train of gearing, means for locking said member against rotation during cutting, means for periodically releasingsaidmembei', and means for imparting movement to said member when released whereby an added rotary movement is periodically imparted to said train of gears to index the blank.

ERNEST C. H EM) 

